The Light Thief (Svet-Ake)

They call him Svet-ake, which translates as “Mr. Light.” The local electrician in a small Kyrgyz village, he has been stealing electricity to help the impoverished local residents. Like moths, everybody is drawn to his kindness. He not only brings electric light (which is often out) to the lives of the inhabitants of this village, but he also spreads the light of love, loyalty, life, and most of all, lots of laughter. He only has two dreams: to someday have a son and to provide people with cheaper energy through wind power. When a wealthy land developer and former villager, Bekzat, comes to buy up the land for a group of Chinese investors, Svet-ake quickly learns that not everyone has the best interests of the village community at heart. Bolstered by the charismatic performances from producer-director-star Aktan Arym Kubat and the rest of the largely non-professional cast, THE LIGHT THIEF is a funny and touching portrait of small-town politics in a rapidly globalizing world. - Adapted form Toronto International Film Festival